Door-coupling apparatus for elevators

ABSTRACT

Door interlock and coupling apparatus for an elevator installation for coupling an elevator car sliding door to a hoistway sliding door for movement of the doors between open and closed positions, wherein the door interlock and coupling apparatus includes an interlock mechanism and a coupling mechanism. The interlock mechanism has a catch portion fixedly mounted adjacent to the hoistway door and has a locking lever pivotally mounted on the hoistway door for locking the hoistway door in its closed position. The coupling mechanism includes a vane and a magnetized roller assembly, wherein the vane is composed of a magnetic material and is mounted on the car door, and wherein the magnetized roller assembly is supported by the locking lever and is operative to apply a magnetic force on the vane for coupling the vane and the car door to the hoistway door for movement of the coupled doors between the open position and the closed position until the locking lever operates to lock the hoistway door in its closed position.

United gtates Patent 5] Feb. 1, 1972 Johns [54] DOOR-COUPLING APPARATUSFOR ELEVATORS [72] Inventor: Calvin Edward Johns, Tucker, Ga.

[73] Assignee: Otis Elevator Company, New York, N.Y.

[22] Filed: Aug. 11, 1969 [21] Appl. No.: 848,981

[51] !nt.Cl ..B66d 13/16 [58] FieldoiSearch ..187/52,52C,52 LC,61;

49/360, 118, 120, 103; ZOO/61.64

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,232,903 7/1917 Dunn..187/52 1,911,792 5/1933 Boedtcher ..187/52 LC 3,065,826 11/1962 Tucker..187/52 3,268,679 8/1966 Tucker ..200/61.64

Primary Examiner-Harvey C. Homsby Assistant Examiner-Merle F. MaffeiAttorney.loseph L. Sharon and Thomas W. Kennedy [57] ABSTRACT Doorinterlock and coupling apparatus for an elevator installation forcoupling an elevator car sliding door to a hoistway sliding door formovement of the doors between open and closed positions, wherein thedoor interlock and coupling apparatus includes an interlock mechanismand a coupling mechanism. The interlock mechanism has a catch portionfixedly mounted adjacent to the hoistway door and has a locking leverpivotally mounted on the hoistway door for locking the hoistway door inits closed position. The coupling mechanism includes a vane and amagnetized roller assembly, wherein the vane is composed of a magneticmaterial and is mounted on the car door, and wherein the magnetizedroller assembly is supported by the locking lever and is operative toapply a magnetic force on the vane for coupling the vane and the cardoor to the hoistway door for movement of the coupled doors between theopen position and the closed position until the locking lever operatesto lock the hoistway door in its closed position.

8 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures memenrm H972 3338.762

INVENTOR CALVIN EDWARD JOH BYZT w. KW ATTORNEY DOOR-COUPLING APPARATUSFOR ELEVATORS The present invention relates to a door interlock andcoupling apparatus for an elevator installation and particularly to adoor interlock and coupling apparatus for an elevator installationhaving a magnetic door coupling mechanism.

A conventional elevator installation includes an elevator car serving aplurality of floor landings, a car door mounted on said elevator car forhorizontal sliding movement between open and closed positions, ahoistway door at each of said landings mounted for horizontal slidingmovement parallel to the movement of said car door, and a door operatingdevice supported by said car and operatively connected to said car door.Said conventional elevator installation also has a door interlock andcoupling apparatus. Said apparatus includes an interlock mechanismoperative to lock said hoistway door in its closed position, andincludes a coupling mechanism operative to couple said doors forsimultaneous opening and closing thereof.

A conventional door interlock and coupling apparatus of this type isdescribed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,268,679, issued Aug. 23, I966, which isassigned to the same assignee as in this application. Said apparatus hasan interlock mechanism and a coupling mechanism. The conventionalinterlock mechanism has a locking lever which locks the hoistway door inits closed position. The conventional coupling mechanism has a vane,which is mounted on the car door, and has a pair of rollers, which aresupported by the hoistway door and which are disposed on opposite sidesof the vane for clamping the vane therebetween. The leading roller,which is on the leading side of the vane, is mounted on a latchingdevice which clamps the vane between the leading roller and the trailingroller for coupling the doors when the doors move to and from the openposition. The latching device has a latch member, which is pivotallymounted on the hoistway door and which supports the leading roller.

The latch member is spring-biased to urge the leading roller toward thevane in order to'clamp the vane between the rollers as the doors leavethe closed position. The latch member is rotated by a fixed releasingstop to unclamp the vane as the doors return and approach the closedposition. The fixed stop applies a horizontal force against the latchmember when rotating the latch member. The fixed stop requires a certaindistance of movement of the hoistway door relative to the fixed stop inorder to rotate the latch member. In one model of the conventionalcoupling mechanism, this distance was about three inches. With thisconventional construction, the latching device uncouples the car doorfrom the hoistway door while the hoistway door is still slightly openduring the closing move ment of the doors. Further closing of thehoistway door is effected by a closing weight or spring.

In some elevator installations, the hoistway door is subject to arelatively large friction force. A hoistway door facing anair-conditioned corridor or a hoistway door forming an exterior buildingdoor can be exposed to a relatively high-wind pressure, which acts onone side of the door and which causes the door sill to apply arelatively high-friction force on the hoistway door. Such friction forcecan exceed the door-closing force normally applied to the hoistway doorby its door-closing weight or spring and can prevent the hoistway doorfrom closing fully and locking. If the hoistway door is held in aslightly open position by the friction force in this way, the interlockmechanism cannot lock the hoistway door whereby the operation of theelevator installation is interrupted.

In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, by using amagnetized trailing roller assembly supported on the locking lever, thevane can apply a pulling force on the locking lever to pull the hoistwaydoor to its closed and locked position. This assures that the car doordoes not release the hoistway door until the hoistway door is in itsclosed and locked position. In this way, interruptions in the operationof the elevator system by the failure of the hoistway doors to closefully and lock owing to the application of a relatively high frictionforce is substantially minimized.

Accordingly, it is one object of the invention to minimize interruptionsin the operation of an elevator installation caused by friction forcesacting on the hoistway doors.

It is another object of the invention to provide an elevatorinstallation having an elevator car door and hoistway door interlock andcoupling apparatus, which does not uncouple the hoistway door from thecar door until the hoistway door is in its fully closed position.

It is still another object of the invention to provide an elevator cardoor and hoistway door interlock and coupling apparatus according to theaforementioned objects, which has an interlock mechanism and a couplingmechanism which coact to uncouple the hoistway door after it attains itsclosed and locked position.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an elevator car doorand hoistway door interlock and coupling apparatus having a couplingmechanism according to the aforementioned objects, which is a mechanicaltype of coupling mechanism and which has a magnetic type of couplingaction.

According to the present invention and in fulfillment of these objects,there is provided a door-coupling apparatus for an elevator installationhaving an elevator car sliding door, a car door-operating device and ahoistway sliding door, said apparatus including an interlock mechanismand a coupling mechanism, wherein said interlock mechanism has a lockinglever pivotally mounted on said hoistway door, and wherein said couplingmechanism comprises a vane member and magnetized means, said vane memberbeing composed of a magnetic material and being mounted on said cardoor, said magnetized means being mounted on said locking lever forcooperation with said vane member, said magnetized means being operativeto apply a magnetic force on said vane member for coupling said hoistwaydoor to said car door for movement of said coupled doors between an openposition and a closed position until said locking lever operates to locksaid hoistway door in its closed position.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent upon reading thefollowing description and accompanying drawings, wherein like parts aredesignated by like numerals throughout the several views, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a partial top plan view of an elevator installation embodyingfeatures of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view as taken along the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view corresponding to the sectional view of FIG. 2and showing the parts in a different position;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged isometric view of a portion of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is a schematic enlarged isometric view of the same portion ofFIG. 1 as shown in FIG. 4.

Referring to FIG. 1, one embodiment of the present invention is anelevator installation 10. Elevator installation 10 includes an elevatorcar 11, a car door 12, which is movable in a horizontal directionrelative to elevator car 11, and includes a hoistway door 13, which isalso movable in a horizontal direction parallel to the movement of theelevator car door 12.

Elevator installation 10 also includes a door-operating device 14, whichis supported by elevator car 11 and which is pivotally connected to cardoor 12. Installation 10 also includes an interlock mechanism 15 (FIG.2), which is operative to lock hoistway door 13 in a fully closedposition. Installation 10 also includes a coupling mechanism 16 (FIG.2), which couples car door 12 to hoistway door 13 for simultaneousmovement of car door 12 and hoistway door 13. Elevator car 11 isdisposed in a hoistway l7 and serves a floor landing 18, which is one ofa plurality of similar floor landings. Hoistway 17 has a door opening 19at floor landing 18.

Car door 12 is supported by an overhead track system (not shown) ofconventional construction which is mounted on elevator car 11. Car door12 is also guided by a sill plate 20 of conventional construction whichis disposed at the bottom thereof.

Hoistway door 13 is similarly supported by an overhead track system (notshown) of conventional construction which is mounted above opening 19.Hoistway door 13 also is similarly guided by a conventional sill plate21 which is disposed at the bottom thereof. Hoistway door 13 also mayhave a door closer system (not shown) of conventional construction, suchas a system having a dead weight, a chain and a pulley, which applies asubstantially constant door-closing force. Such door-closing force isapplied in a substantially horizontal direction on hoistway door 13. Themagnitude of such door-closing force is limited in magnitude byconventional elevator codes for passenger safety.

Door-operating device 14 applies an operating force 22 in asubstantially horizontal direction on car door 12 for driving doors 12,13 between the open and closed positions thereof. Hoistway door 13 has aleading edge 23, which faces one side of opening 19, and has a trailingedge 24 at the opposite side thereof.

Interlock mechanism (FIG. 2), which is a switching and lockingmechanism, includes a switch housing 30, which is fixedly mounted on awall header 31, and includes a locking lever 32, which is rotatablymounted on hoistway door 34 and which is received by housing 30. Whenhoistway door 13 is closed, interlock mechanism 15 is operative to lockhoistway door 13, and is also operative for enabling power to besupplied through a switch to elevator car 1 1 as explained hereafter. InFIGS. 2 and 3, housing 30 is illustrated with its front cover removed.The cooperation of door operating device 14, interlock mechanism 15 andcoupling mechanism 16 is more fully described hereafter. Switch housing30 (FIG. 3) has a catch surface 33 for locking lever 32 in place.Housing 30 also has a contact block 34, (FIG. 2), which has a pair ofspaced interlock switch contacts 35, 36, which are bridged by contact 40of lever 32 when lever 32 is in its locking position.

Lever 32, which is L-shaped, has a vertical leg 38 and a horizontal leg39. Lever 32 has a latch surface 37 (FIG. 3), which cooperates withcatch surface 33 and locks lever 32 to housing 30. Lever 32 also has abridging contact 40 on the horizontal leg 39 thereof which cooperateswith switch contacts 35, 36 to form a safety switch in a circuitsupplying power to elevator car 11. FIG. 2 shows doors 12, 13 disposedin their closed position. In such condition, lever 32 is locked in placeby housing 30, and latch surface 37 is separated from catch surface 33by a lock clearance 41.

Lever 32 is rotatably mounted on a support pin 42, which is fixedlysupported by a bracket 43 that is fixedly attached to hoistway door 13by bolts 51. Lever 32 is displaceable through an angle of travel 44(FIG. 3) about pin 42. Lever 32 is springbiased by a compression coilspring 45 which urges lever 32 in a clockwise direction as viewed inFIG. 3. Spring 45 is supported by a stud 46, which is mounted on bracket43. Stud 46 has a bearing washer 47 at an end thereof which bearsagainst and positions spring 45. Bracket 43 also has a first bumpermember 48 for limiting the clockwise travel of lever 32 and has a secondbumper member 49 for limiting the counterclockwise travel of lever 32.

Lever 32 also has a shoulder portion 50, which is disposed betweenbumper 48 and spring 45. Spring 45 bears against one face of shoulder 50and urges lever 32 in a. clockwise direction. Bumper 48 is disposed inthe path of travel of shoulder 50 for limiting the clockwise travel oflever 32.

Coupling mechanism 16 (FIG. 2) includes a vane member 60, which ismounted on car door 12 and composed of a magnetic material. Couplingmechanism 16 also includes a magnetized roller unit 61, which is mountedon locking lever 32. Magnetized unit 61 is operative to apply a magneticforce 62 in a substantially horizontal direction on vane member 60 whenengaged thereto. Roller unit 61 is mounted on vertical leg 38 near thebottom end thereof. Magnetic force 62 of roller unit 61 is directed in ahorizontal direction and is applied on vane 60 so as to couple hoistwaydoor 13 to car door 12 during movement of doors 12, 13 to and from theiropen position until hoistway door 13 attains its closed position andlocking lever 32 operates to lock hoistway door 13 in its closedposition. The operation of coupling mechanism 16 is explained more fullyhereafter.

Coupling mechanism 16 also includes a latching means 63 (FIG. 3), whichis a spring-biased clamp assembly that is operative to apply a clampingforce 64 on vane 60 which in addition to magnetic force 62 also couplesvane 60 and car door 12 to hoistway door 13. Coupling mechanism 16 alsoincludes a releasing member 65 for actuating clamp assembly 63 and forreleasing clamping force 64 from vane 60 as doors 12, 13 approach theirclosed position.

Clamping force 64 and magnetic force 62 act together for couplinghoistway door 13 to car door 12. After clamp assembly 63 is released,magnetic force 62 alone is operative to couple hoistway door 13 to cardoor 12. In operation, magnetic force 62 of magnetic roller unit 61assures that vane member 60 remains coupled to locking lever 32, afterthe release of clamp assembly 63 and during the movement of doors 12, 13toward the closed position, until hoistway door 13 reaches its closedposition and is locked in place. In addition, if clamp assembly 63 isomitted or rendered inoperative, magnetized roller unit 61 alone mayprovide the necessary coupling action between doors 12, 13 for operationthereof.

Vane member 60, which is preferably a single-flange type of vane member,is an elongate, vertical bar of rectangular cross section, that has anintegral support member 66 (FIG. 1). Support member 66, which has anL-shaped cross section, is fixedly connected to car door 12. Vane member60 is composed of a magnetic material, such as a ferrous material, sothat an attractive force is developed between it and roller unit 61.Vane member 60 is disposed between clamp assembly 63 and the magneticroller unit 61 associated with a landing when elevator car 11 is locatedat that landing.

Magnetized roller unit 61 (FIGS. 4 and 5), which is a coupling andinterlock roller unit, is supported by a support pin 70, which has aneccentric portion 71. Roller unit 61 comprises a permanent magnet coremember or ring 72, and a pair of pole members or washer rings 73, 74.Roller unit 61 also includes a spacer ring 75. Rings 72, 73, 74, 75 arejournaled on eccentric portion 71. Roller unit 61, which is the trailingroller unit, is positioned on the trailing side of vane 60, on the sidenearer to door trailing edge 24. Roller unit 61 is adjustably connectedto vertical leg 38 at the bottom end thereof.

Pin 70, which is composed of a nonmagnetic metal, such as brass or thelike, is fixedly connected at one end thereof to vertical leg 38 forsupport therefrom. Pin 70 has a longitudinal axis 76, which is disposedsubstantially at right angles to the faces of doors 12, 13 and which isdisposed substantially parallel to the adjacent face of vane 60.Eccentric portion 71 has an eccentric axis 77 which is substantiallyparallel to pin axis 76. Magnet ring 72, washer rings 73, 74 and spacerring 75 are coaxial with eccentric portion 71 along eccentric axis 77.If axis 77 is adjustably moved about axis 76, rings 72, 73, 74 can bemoved toward and away from vane 60.

Vertical leg 38 has a groove 78 which receives pin 70. Leg 38 also hasan adjustable bolt 79 for clamping pin 70 in groove 78. When doors 12,13 are in their closed and locked position (FIG. 2), vane 60 isseparated from magnet roller 61 by an adjustable clearance 80. Clearance80 can be adjusted in size by loosening bolt 79, by rotatably displacingeccentric portion 71 about pin axis 76, and then by retightening bolt79. In such position of doors 12, 13, vane 60 is also separated fromclamp assembly 63 by an adjustable clearance 81, as explained hereafter.Clearances 80, 81 are adjusted in order to assure proper runningclearances for vane 60. The corresponding magnet device and clampassembly at each hoistway door in hoistway 17 are vertically aligned andare adjusted to provide similar clearances at each hoistway door. In onemodel of embodiment 10, each of the clearances 80, 81 after adjustmentwas set at about one-half of an inch (0.500 inches) in size. Inaddition, lock clearance 41 was set at about one-sixteenth of an inch(0.062 inches) in size.

Magnet or core ring 72 and washer or pole rings 73, 74,

together provided a magnetic field, which is arranged so that magneticforce 62 is positioned approximately at right angles to the face of vane60, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. Washer or pole rings 73, 74 form theopposite sides, or north and south poles, of magnetized unit 61. Magnetor core ring 72 forms the permanent magnet core of the magnetic unit 61.Rings 72, 73, 74 are also adjustably positioned in an axial direction onpin 70. By adjusting the axial thickness of spacer '75, rings 72, 73, 74can be adjustably positioned relative tovane 60 in an axial direction.In this way, the position in an axial direction of magnetic force 62 canbe adjusted. Rings 72, 73, 74 each are composed of a magnetizablematerial, such as a ferrous material. Ring 72 may be composed of amoldable material containing particles of a metallic, magnetiz'ablematerial in order to provide a relatively high magnitude of magneticforce 62.

Rings 73, 74 (FIGS. 4 and 5 are disposed on the axially opposite sidesof ring 72. Rings 72, 73, 74 may be covered by a thin cylindricalcovering (not shown), such as a cylinder of relatively hard, nonmetallicmaterial, which covers theradially outer surfaces thereof in order tominimize noise caused by the engagement of rings 72, 73, 74 with vane60. The outer diameters of rings '73, 74 preferably are about equal insize and are slightly larger than the outer diameter of ring 72. Themagnitude of magnetic force 62 can be adjusted by adjustably changingthe thicknesses of rings 73, 74 or by changing the thickness of thecovering. Spacer 75 (FIGS. 4 and 5) is disposed on the axially innerside of ring 74, and is preferably composed of a nonmagnetic material.

Magnetic force 62 preferably is substantially larger in magnitude thanthe net restraining force on hoistway door 13, and magnetic force 62 issubstantially smaller than the net closing force on car door 12. In onemodel of embodiment it), such magnetic force is about twelve (12) poundsin magnitude. The net restraining force on hoistway door 13 isapproximately equal to the total friction force on hoistway door 13 lessthe door closer pulling force on hoistway door 13 produced by thepreviously mentioned door closer system. The net closing force on cardoor 12 is approximately equal to the horizontal operating force 22.Magnetic force 62 is preferably larger than the net restraining force onhoistway door 13 to assure that hoistway door 13 can be moved to itsclosed position, and locked in said closed position, after clampingforce 64 is released from vane 60 notwithstanding hoistway door 13 issubject to a relatively large friction force. Magnetic force 62 ispreferably smaller than the net closing force on car door 12 to assurethat vane 60 can be separated from magnetic roller 61 to provideclearance 86 after hoistway door 13 is located in its closed position.As indicated heretofore, hoistway door 13 can be subject to a relativelylarge friction force, and car door 12 can be subject to relatively nofriction force in this way, when there is a substantial pressure dropbetween the air pressures on opposite sides of hoistway door 13. Withthis construction of roller unit 61, hoistway door 13 can be pulled toits closed position, and locked in said closed position, when subject tosuch relatively high-friction force.

Clamp assembly 63, which is a latching means, includes a bell cranklatch plate 82, which has a stud 33 for pivotally supporting latch plate82. Clamp assembly 63 also includes a spring 84 for causingcounterclockwise rotation of latch plate 82 (FIG. 3), a leading roller85, which is disposed on the leading side olvane 60, and a crank roller86 for causing clockwise rotation of latch plate 82.

Latch plate 8: is journaled on stud 83. Latch plate 82 has a groove 87(FIG. 1), which receives a leading roller 85, and has a bolt 88 foradjustably clamping roller 85 in place. Stud 83 is fixedly connected tobracket 43 at the inner end thereof for supporting latch plate 82.Spring 84, which is a torsion spring, is connected at one end to bracket43 and is connected at the other end to latch plate 82 for urging latchplate 82 to rotate in a counterclockwise direction (F IG. 2) forpositioning roller 85 in bearing against vane member 60.

Leading roller 85 has a pin 89, which is received by latch plate groove87 and which is clamped in place by bolt 88. Leading roller 85 also hasa plurality of washers 90 for axially positioning leading roller 85. Thethickness of washers 90 can be varied for adjusting the axial positionof leading roller 85. Crank roller 86, which is pivotally mounted onlatch plate 82, projects axially inwardly for engaging releasing member65 (FIG. 2). Bracket 43 has a bumper member 91 (FIG. 2) for limiting thetravel of crank roller 86 and latch plate 82. Bumper 91 is also locatedso that the torque applied to latch plate 82 by the reaction to clampingforce 64 is minimized.

Releasing member 65, which is a fixed stop member, is fixedly connectedto housing 30 for support therefrom. Releasing member 65 is positionedin the path of travel of crank roller 86 in order to rotate latch plate82 and to fully disengage and separate leading roller 85 from vane 60 asthe coupled doors 12, 13 approach their closed position.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show doors 12, 13 in their closed, stationary position. Inthis position, vane 60 is separated from roller unit 61 and roller 85 byclearances 80, 81, and elevator car 11 is in condition either to move toanother floor landing or to stay at floor landing 18 and to open doorsl2, 13. The operation of opening and closing doors l2, 13 at floorlanding 18 is described hereafter.

In operation, the door operating sequence is as indicated hereafter.

1. Operating device 14 applies an operating force 22 to car door 12 foropening and closing car door 12. When car door 12 first opens, car door12 moves a slight distance to the right (FIG. 1) through the clearancetoward its open position so that vane 60 engages roller unit 61.Continued movement of car door 12 toward its open position rotateslocking lever 32 through an angle of travel 44 thereby displacing latchsurface 37 from catch surface 33 and thereby causing bridge contact 40to separate from switch contacts 35, 36 (FIG. 3). In this way, lever 32is unlocked from housing 30 for unlocking doors 12, 13. Moreover, poweris cut off from elevator car 11 so that elevator car 11 cannot move fromlanding 18 while doors 12, 13 are not locked in the closed position.Continued movement of car door 12 toward its open position causes vane60 to urge hoistway door 13 to move to the open position. Operatingforce 22 transmits a driving force to the, right along the same line asmagnetic force 62 (FIG. 3) from vane 60 to trailing roller 61 fortransmission through bracket 43 to door 13. In this way, car door 12 isoperative to open hoistway door 13.

2. As hoistway door 13 moves away from its closed position toward itsopen position and latch plate 82 moves relative to fixed releasingmember 65, latch spring 84 slightly rotates latch plate 82 in acounterclockwise direction (FIG. 3). After the completion of therotation of latch plate 82, the leading roller is positioned so as tobear against vane 60 for providing a clamping force 64 on vane 60.Clamping force 64 and magnetic force 62 act in the same direction forcoupling vane 60 to locking lever 32. In addition, because locking lever32 engages bumper 49, clamping force 64 minimizes slight relativemovement, or shaking, of hoistway door 13 relative to car door 12 duringthe movement of doors 12, 13 to and from the open position. Latch bar 82and spring 84 (FIG. 3) cause crank roller 86 to rest on bumper 91 sothat leasing roller 85 is exactly positioned for bearing against vane60. In this way, clamping force 64 acts together with magnetic force 62for coupling hoistway door 13 to car door 12 during movement of doors12, 13 to and from the open position.

3. When car door 12 returns from its open position to its closedposition as viewed in FIG. 1, operating force 22 transmits a drivingforce, which is directed along the same line as clamping force 64, fromvane 60 to leading roller 85. Because crank roller 86 bears on bumper91, latch plate 82 cannot rotate and the driving force from car door 12is transmitted through latch plate 82 to hoistway door 13 urginghoistway door 13 toward its closed position.

4. As hoistway door 13 approaches its closed position, crank roller 86engages releasing member 65 causing latch plate 82 to rotate in aclockwise direction (FIG. 2). In this way, leading clamp roller 85 isseparated from vane 60 and clamping force 64 is released. However, ashoistway door 13 approaches its closed position and clamping force 64 isreleased from vane 60, locking lever 32 continues to be coupled to vane60 by magnetic force 62. In this way, hoistway door 13 remains coupledto car door 12 until car door 12 pulls hoistway door 13 to its closedposition. In one model of embodiment 10, crank roller 86 first engagesreleasing member 65 and releases clamping force 64 as doors 12, 13approach the closed position when hoistway door 13 is about three (3)inches from its closed position. In this way, as car door 12 approachesits closed position, the magnetic .force 62 causes vane 60 to be coupledto roller 61. Also, operating force 22 causes lever 32 to rotate in aclockwise direction through angle 44 after clamp roller 85 is released.Thereafter, shoulder 50 bears against bumper 48 so that operating force22 is then transmitted through pin 42 to bracket 43. Thus, the operatingforce 22 can be transmitted through bracket 43 to hoistway door 13 forurging the coupled doors 12, 13 to their closed position becausemagnetic force 62 couples hoistway door 13 to car door 12 after latchingmeans 16 is released.

5. As locking lever 32 is received by housing 36, vane 60 continues toapply a pulling force on vertical arm 38 urging locking lever 32 in aclockwise direction (FIG. 2), which urges bridging contact 40 intoengagement with switch contacts 35, 36. Spring 45 also applies a springforce which cooperates with vane 60 for urging bridging contact 40 intoengagement with switch contacts 35, 36. As latch surface 37 overlapscatch surface 33, locking lever 32 is locked to housing 30 and hoistwaydoor 13 is locked in place in its closed position. Thereafter, hoistwaydoor 13 is prevented from further closing movement by a stop while cardoor 12 continues to move through a slight distance until vane 60 isseparated from roller 61 by clearance 81. Car door 12 is urged to itsfully closed position and is held in said position by operating force 22of door-operating device 14. In this way, hoistway door 13 and car door12 are positioned in their closed and locked positions. Thus,interruptions in the operation of the elevator car 11 by the applicationof a friction force on the hoistway door 13 is avoided.

While the present invention has been described in a preferredembodiment, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that variousmodifications can be made therein within the scope of the invention. Forexample, a second embodiment of an elevator installation can beprovided, which has a pair of center-opening car doors and a pair ofcenter-opening hoistway doors, in place of the single car door 12 andthe single hoistway door 13. Each pair of such center-opening doors canalso be provided with a wire cord and pulley assembly of conventionalconstruction to assure that a cooperating motion and force istransmitted between the pair of doors. In such an installation,interlock mechanism 15 and coupling mechanism 16 according to thisinvention can be used in combination with said center-opening car andhoistway doors. Such centeropening doors can operate in substantiallythe same improved manner as car door 12 and hoistway door 13.

As another example, a third embodiment of an elevator installation canbe provided having an interlock and coupling apparatus, wherein thecoupling mechanism thereof has a U- shaped, channel-type, dual-flange,vanemember instead of a bar-type, single-flange vane member 60, andwherein the coupling mechanism has a gravity-biased locking leverinstead of a spring-biased locking lever 32. Moreover, the couplingmechanism of such third embodiment has a latching device, which issimilar to latching device 63, and which is arranged to engage thetrailing flange of the dual-flange vane member, instead of engaging theleading edge of the single-flange vane member 60. Further, the couplingmechanism also has a magnetic roller unit, which is identical to rollerunit 61, and which is mounted on the vertical leg of the gravity-typelocking lever. In such third embodiment, magnetic roller unit, which issimilar to magnetic roller unit 61, is operative to apply a magneticforce that is similar to magnetic force 62. Such magnetic force of thethird embodiment is applied to the leading flange of the channel-typevane member and is operative, like the first embodiment 10, to coupletogether the car and hoistway doors for movement of the coupled doorsfrom the open position to the closed position until the locking leveroperates to lock said hoistway door when the coupled doors approach theclosed position.

What is claimed is:

1. In an elevator installation having an elevator car with a slidingdoor for closing an opening to said car, a car dooroperating device formoving said car door across said opening, a hoistway for said car with asliding door for closing an opening to said hoistway, door-couplingapparatus including an interlock mechanism including a locking devicemounted on said hoistway door and operable to lock said hoistway doorwhen in a closed position across its associated opening, said couplingmechanism comprising a first coupling means operable to couple saidhoistway door to said car door during movement of said car door acrossits associated opening in both the opening and closing directions sothat said hoistway door moves across its associated opening inconjunction with the movement of said car door across its associatedopening, said first coupling means releasing the coupling it providesduring the closing operation of said doors when said hoistway doorreaches a predetermined distance from said closed position, wherein theimprovement comprises a second coupling means including a magnetizedelement producing a magnetic force for maintaining said hoistway doorcoupled to said car door after the release by said first coupling meansuntil said hoistway door reaches said closed position provided anopposing restraining force which overcomes said magnetic force is notapplied to said hoistway door after the release by said first couplingmeans, said second coupling means including a vane means composed of amagnetic material mounted on the car door and a magnetized means mountedon said locking device, said magnetized means including a support pinconnected to said locking device and a magnetized roller journaled onsaid pin,

2. Door-coupling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in response tothe car door-operating device initiating the opening of said car doorsaid vane means bears against said magnetized roller causing the lockingdevice to unlock said hoistway door and enabling said hoistway doorthereafter to move in conjunction with said car door during its openingoperation and wherein said first coupling means includes clamping meansmounted on said hoistway door and operable in response to the hoistwaydoor opening a predetermined amount to clamp said vane means to saidmagnetized roller, said clamping means thereafter maintaining said clampduring the opening and closing operations and enabling said hoistwaydoor to move in conjunction with said car door during its closingoperation until said hoistway door reaches said predetermined distancefrom said closed position whereupon in response thereto said clampingmeans operates to release the clamp it provides between said vane meansand said magnetized roller and the magnetic attractive forcetherebetween is operable to maintain the hoistway door coupled to saidcar door.

3, Door-coupling apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said magnetizedroller includes a cylindrical permanent magnet core member and a pair ofring-shaped pole members disposed on opposite sides of said core memberand wherein said pin has an eccentric portion, said eccentric portionbeing journaled in said magnetized roller said pin being adjustablyconnected to said locking device for adjustably positioning saidmagnetized roller.

4. In an elevator installation having an elevator car with a slidingdoor for closing an opening to said car, a car dooroperating device formoving said car door across said opening, a hoistway for said car with asliding door for closing an opening to said hoistway, door closer means,door-coupling apparatus including an interlock mechanism and a couplingmechanism, said interlock mechanism including a locking device mountedon said hoistway door including a locking lever pivotally mounted onsaid hoistway door, said locking device being operable to lock saidhoistway door when in a closed position across its associated opening,said coupling mechanism including a first coupling means operable tocouple said hoistway door to said car door during movement of said cardoor across its associated opening in both the opening and closingdirections so that said hoistway door moves across its associatedopening in conjunction with the movement of said car door across itsassociated opening, said first coupling means releasing the coupling itprovides between said hoistway door and said car door during the closingoperation of said doors when said hoistway door reaches a predetermineddistance from said closed position, said door closer means beingoperable to apply a force to said hoistway door to move it saidpredetermined distance to said closed position after the release by saidfirst coupling means in the absence of the application of an opposingrestraining force to said hoistway door which overcomes the forceapplied by said door closer means after the release by said firstcoupling means, wherein the improvement comprises a second couplingmeans including a magnetized element producing a magnetic force in adirection substantially parallel to said closing direction formaintaining said hoistway door coupled to said car door after therelease by said first coupling means for movement of said hoistway doorin conjunction with the movement of said car door until said hoistwaydoor reaches said closed position notwithstanding the application of anopposing restraining force which overcomes the force applied by saiddoor closer means after the release by said first coupling meansprovided an opposing restraining force which overcomes the combinedforces applied by said door closer means and said second coupling meansis not applied to said hoistway door after the release by said firstcoupling means, said second coupling means including a vane meanscomposed of a magnetic material mounted on said car door and amagnetized means mounted on said locking lever.

5. Door-coupling apparatus in an elevator installation according toclaim 4, wherein said magnetized means includes a support pin connectedto said locking lever and a magnetized roller journaled on said pin.

6. Door-coupling apparatus in an elevator installation according toclaim 5, wherein in response to the car door operating device openingsaid car door a predetermined amount said vane means bears against saidmagnetized roller causing said locking lever to pivot and unlock saidhoistway door and enabling said hoistway door thereafter to move inconjunction with said car door during its opening operation and whereinsaid first coupling means includes clamping means mounted on saidhoistway door and operable in response to the hoistway door opening apredetermined amount to clamp said vane means to said magnetized roller,said clamping means thereafter maintaining said clamp during the openingand closing operations and enabling said hoistway door to move inconjunction with said car door during its closing operation until saidhoistway door reaches said predetermined distance from said closedposition whereupon in response thereto said clamping means operates torelease the clamp it provides between said vane means and saidmagnetized roller and the magnetic force therebetween is operable tomaintain the hoistway door coupled to said car door, said magnetic forcebeing of less magnitude than that applied to the car door by said cardoor operating device after said hoistway door reaches said closedposition and said car door being movable by said car door operatingdevice in said closing direction relative to said hoistway door aftersaid hoistway door reaches said closed position whereby said car dooroperating device in so moving said car door separates said vane meansfrom said magnetized roller.

7. Door-coupling apparatus in an elevator installation according toclaim 6, wherein said pin has an eccentric portion,

said eccentric portion being journaled in said magnetized roller, saidpin being adjustably connected to said locking

1. In an elevator installation having an elevator car with a slidingdoor for closing an opening to said car, a car dooroperating device formoving said car door across said opening, a hoistway for said car with asliding door for closing an opening to said hoistway, door-couplingapparatus including an interlock mechanism including a locking devicemounted on said hoistway door and operable to lock said hoistway doorwhen in a closed position across its associated opening, said couplingmechanism comprising a first coupling means operable to couple saidhoistway door to said car door during movement of said car door acrossits associated opening in both the opening and closing directions sothat said hoistway door moves across its associated opening inconjunction with the movement of said car door across its associatedopening, said first coupling means releasing the coupling it providesduring the closing operation of said doors when said hoistway doorreaches a predetermined distance from said closed position, wherein theimprovement comprises a second coupling means including a magnetizedelement producing a magnetic force for maintaining said hoistway doorcoupled to said car door after the release by said first coupling meansuntil said hoistway door reaches said closed position provided anopposing restraining force which overcomes said magnetic force is notapplied to said hoistway door after the release by said first couplingmeans, said second coupling means including a vane means composed of amagnetic material mounted on the car door and a magnetized means mountedon said locking device, said magnetized means including a support pinconnected to said locking device and a magnetized roller journaled onsaid pin.
 2. Door-coupling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein inresponse to the car door-operating device initiating the opening of saidcar door said vane means bears against said magnetized roller causingthe locking device to unlock said hoistway door and enabling saidhoistway door thereafter to move in conjunction with said car doorduring its opening operation and wherein said first coupling meansincludes clamping means mounted on said hoistway door and operable inresponse to the hoistway door opening a predetermined amount to clampsaid vane means to said magnetized roller, said clamping meansthereafter maintaining said clamp during the opening and closingoperations and enabling said hoistway door to move in conjunction withsaid car door during its closing operation until said hoistway doorreaches said predetermined distance from said closed position whereuponin response thereto said clamping means operates to release the clamp itprovides between said vane means and said magnetized roller and themagnetic attractive force therebetween is operable to maintain thehoistway door coupled to said car door.
 3. Door-coupling apparatusaccording to claim 2, wherein said magnetized roller includes acylindrical permanent magnet core member and a pair of ring-shaped polemembers disposed on opposite sides of said core member and wherein saidpin has an eccentric portion, said eccentric portion being journaled insaid magnetized roller said pin being adjustably connected to saidlocking device for adjustably positioning said magnetized roller.
 4. Inan elevator installation having an elevator car with a sliding door forclosing an opening to said car, a car door-operating device for movingsaid car door across said opening, a hoistway for said car with asliding door for closing an opening to said hoistway, door closer means,door-coupling apparatus including an interlock mechanism and a couplingmechanism, said interlock mechanism including a locking device mountedon said hoistway door including a locking lever pivotally mounted onsaid hoistway door, said locking device being operable to lock saidhoistway door when in a closed position across its associated opening,Said coupling mechanism including a first coupling means operable tocouple said hoistway door to said car door during movement of said cardoor across its associated opening in both the opening and closingdirections so that said hoistway door moves across its associatedopening in conjunction with the movement of said car door across itsassociated opening, said first coupling means releasing the coupling itprovides between said hoistway door and said car door during the closingoperation of said doors when said hoistway door reaches a predetermineddistance from said closed position, said door closer means beingoperable to apply a force to said hoistway door to move it saidpredetermined distance to said closed position after the release by saidfirst coupling means in the absence of the application of an opposingrestraining force to said hoistway door which overcomes the forceapplied by said door closer means after the release by said firstcoupling means, wherein the improvement comprises a second couplingmeans including a magnetized element producing a magnetic force in adirection substantially parallel to said closing direction formaintaining said hoistway door coupled to said car door after therelease by said first coupling means for movement of said hoistway doorin conjunction with the movement of said car door until said hoistwaydoor reaches said closed position notwithstanding the application of anopposing restraining force which overcomes the force applied by saiddoor closer means after the release by said first coupling meansprovided an opposing restraining force which overcomes the combinedforces applied by said door closer means and said second coupling meansis not applied to said hoistway door after the release by said firstcoupling means, said second coupling means including a vane meanscomposed of a magnetic material mounted on said car door and amagnetized means mounted on said locking lever.
 5. Door-couplingapparatus in an elevator installation according to claim 4, wherein saidmagnetized means includes a support pin connected to said locking leverand a magnetized roller journaled on said pin.
 6. Door-couplingapparatus in an elevator installation according to claim 5, wherein inresponse to the car door operating device opening said car door apredetermined amount said vane means bears against said magnetizedroller causing said locking lever to pivot and unlock said hoistway doorand enabling said hoistway door thereafter to move in conjunction withsaid car door during its opening operation and wherein said firstcoupling means includes clamping means mounted on said hoistway door andoperable in response to the hoistway door opening a predetermined amountto clamp said vane means to said magnetized roller, said clamping meansthereafter maintaining said clamp during the opening and closingoperations and enabling said hoistway door to move in conjunction withsaid car door during its closing operation until said hoistway doorreaches said predetermined distance from said closed position whereuponin response thereto said clamping means operates to release the clamp itprovides between said vane means and said magnetized roller and themagnetic force therebetween is operable to maintain the hoistway doorcoupled to said car door, said magnetic force being of less magnitudethan that applied to the car door by said car door operating deviceafter said hoistway door reaches said closed position and said car doorbeing movable by said car door operating device in said closingdirection relative to said hoistway door after said hoistway doorreaches said closed position whereby said car door operating device inso moving said car door separates said vane means from said magnetizedroller.
 7. Door-coupling apparatus in an elevator installation accordingto claim 6, wherein said pin has an eccentric portion, said eccentricportion being journaled in said magnetized roller, said pin beingadjustably connected to said locking leveR for adjustably positioningsaid magnetized roller.
 8. Door-coupling apparatus in an elevatorinstallation according to claim 7, wherein said magnetized rollerincludes a ring-shaped permanent magnet core member journaled on theeccentric portion of said pin and a pair of ring-shaped pole membersjournaled on the eccentric portion of said pin and disposed on oppositesides of said core member and wherein said pin has a spacer memberdisposed between said magnetized roller and said locking lever, said pinand said spacer member being composed of nonmagnetic material.